rmon becomes
a lifeless repetition of words, previously prepared, correct, even
beautiful, it may be in form, logical in argument, sound in philosophy,
but dead, dull and impotent, bereft of the fire that kindles the powers
of the soul, the emotion that urges to action, the imagination that
lures to high endeavour.

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye
present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which
is your reasonable service."

The voice, clear, vibrant, melodious, arrested with its first word the
eyes and hearts of his hearers, and so held them to the end. With the
earnest voice there was the fascination of a face alight with a noble
beauty, eyes glowing as with lambent flame.

A second time he read the appealing words, then paused and allowed his
eyes to wander quietly over the congregation. They represented to him in
that hour the manhood and womanhood of his country. Sincerely, with
no attempt at rhetoric and with no employment of any of its tricks, he
began his sermon.

"This war," he said, "is a conflict of ideals eternally opposed. Our
ambitious and ruthless enemy has made the issue and has determined the
method of settlement. It is a war of souls, but the method of settlement
is not that of reason but that of force--a force that finds expression
through your bodies. Therefore the appeal of the Apostle Paul, this
old-world hero, to the men of his time reaches down to us in this day,
and at this crisis of the world's history. Offer your bodies--these
living bodies--these sacred bodies--offer them in sacrifice to God."

There was little discussion of the causes of the war. What need? They
knew that this war was neither of their desiring nor of their making.
There was no attempt to incite hatred or revenge. There was little
reference to the horrors of war, to its griefs, its dreadful agonies,
its irreparable losses.

From the first word he lifted his audience to the high plane of
sacrament and sacrifice. They were called upon to offer upon the altar
of the world's freedom all that they held dear in life--yea, life
itself! It was the ancient sacrifice that the noblest of the race had
always been called upon to make. In giving themselves to this cause they
were giving themselves to their country. They were offering themselves
to God. In simple diction, and in clear flowing speech, the sermon
proceeded without pause or stumbling to the end. The preacher clo